I am completing 10k for Dyspraxia Foundation because I want to help raise vital funds and awareness.

We aim to improve awareness & understanding to support all those affected by dyspraxia

Charity Registration No. 1058352

Story

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Our team page can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/teams/NatalieChris17

Last year I walked 10k for the Dyspraxia Foundation. This year I have decided I want to challenge myself even further and jog parts of it too! My Dad will also be joining me for this years event!

We will be doing this for an amazing charity, the Dyspraxia Foundation. As lots of you reading this will probably already know, I was diagnosed with dyspraxia at the age of three and I was later diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy. Whilst there is a lot of overlap between both conditions, dyspraxia is what I would consider to be my main diagnosis as it affects me more in day-to-day life.

So many people have never heard of dyspraxia before or don't know what it is, despite the factthat it is quite common. It is estimated that between 1 in 10 to 1 in 20 people are dyspraxic.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what dyspraxia is, particularly due to the fact that it is a hidden disability. It affects such a variety of aspects of day to day life, from gross and fine motor skills (making tasks such as handwriting difficult) to difficulties in social situations (such as literal thinking or struggling to keep up with a conversation). I've gone into a lot more detail about this in my blog (if you would like to find out more, here is the link: https://theblogwithonepost.wordpress.com).

Due to difficulties with co-ordination and gross motor skills, I hated P.E. at school and I really struggled with it. So I never imagined I would voluntarily take part in sport. However, I then went on to take part in disability sports outside of school. Even then it was always short distance events, so I never imagined I would voluntarily take part in long distance events - let alone a 10k! But here I am... It will certainly be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to raise funds and much needed awareness for dyspraxia!

The Dyspraxia Foundation are the only charity in the UK who are dedicated to raising awareness of dyspraxia (and coincidentally they're local to me too!) They do an enormous amount to raise awareness and provide support for both parents and individuals with dyspraxia. For me personally, I have had the opportunity to meet so many other individuals through their Youth Facebook group. I have then had the opportunity to meet these individuals and many others in person at conferences held by the Dyspraxia Foundation. These events are fantastic, with such wonderful speeches and most of all it is lovely to be surrounded by people who 'get it'.

Despite the fact that there still isn't enough awareness, it really has come a long way so far with the help of the Dyspraxia Foundation and they're constantly doing what they can to raise awareness even further through talks and through their social media accounts.

They cannot continue their work without vital funds. Although they are the only charity in the UK who are dedicated to raising awareness of dyspraxia, they do not receive any government funding. The Dyspraxia Foundation consists of a large number of volunteers with just a few members of paid staff.

So please donate - it really would mean a lot if you could! As little or as much as you like, it all makes a difference!

Thank you!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Share this story

Photos

Supporters

Fundraising team

About the charity

The Dyspraxia Foundation supports those with dyspraxia, their families and professionals. We raise awareness, understanding and are funded by voluntary donations and membership subscriptions. We publish literature, organise conferences and support through local groups, social networks and a helpline